Category Archives: Latest & Greatest

My obsession with palm print everything started during my first visit to Palm Springs in 2012. The town knew what it took to elevate a simple vacation into something special. It now holds a very special place in my heart and Joey and I are on our way back in a few weeks to renew our wedding vows!

Nothing screams vacation and relaxation like a good palm print — and there’s bound to be some wallpaper inspired by the likes of the Beverly Hills Hotel and Indochine in my future Palm Springs pad.

If you’re in the market for a palm fix of your own, these are some of my top picks — there’s a ton of variety out there to get that classic tropical vibe that’s so popular right now.

I have a thing for tees with messages emblazoned across them. The bigger the type, the better!

They’re a good conversation starter, not to mention comfortable. I have recently been on the hunt for a few new ones to add to my growing collection and there’s an especially great bunch at both Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters right now. To save you the time of doing a digital dig for the perfect tee, here are some of my top picks.

Over the past week, I’ve been lamenting my lack of tangible photo prints — the thousands of images I’ve snapped over the last few years sit on various hard drives, collecting dust. I want more images I can hold and proudly display; do you feel the same?

Well, thanks to a spur of the moment outing, I have another print in my collection…but it’s completely different than anything else I’ve seen.

Over the weekend, I got a text from my aunt Shannon, asking if I wanted to join her to have an aura photo taken. Wait…I’d heard of that! A few months earlier, Gala showed me the wildly popular Radiant Human Instagram account and Christina happens to be located in Portland (though you should check out her dates — she often hits the road, visiting California and New York).

You may be wondering what an aura photo is and Christina does a great job of explaining how it works:

We all have energy running through our bodies. This energy radiates beyond our skin creating an atmosphere or “aura,” otherwise called an electromagnetic field. The aura camera uses hand sensors to analyze this energy’s vibrational frequency. Through this camera, we are able to match your vibrational frequency to a corresponding color’s vibrational frequency, making your energy visible and easy to see in the form of an instant Polaroid picture.

Getting an aura photo on a Sunday afternoon seemed to be on everyone elses’ agendas, too. We showed up early, snagging spots towards the front of the line but by the time the doors opened 10 minutes later, a few dozen people from all walks of life were eagerly waiting.

Shannon and I were added to a list and a few minutes later, I was led into a white wigwam-like structure that was completely black on the inside. I took my seat on a stool and then Christina set two blue boxes on my lap. I lined my fingers up with the sensors which were in the formation of hands and pushed my palms down onto another large sensor.

Staring directly into a bright light and trying not to blink for 10 whole seconds took some serious concentration. And then, just as quickly as it had begun, it was over. I paid up ($25.00 for a single person or special group rates for multiple people in the same image) and was then handed my photo by Christina who explained what my aura meant. I was so surprised by how different my photo was from Shannon’s — her green and blue aura contrasted sharply with my red and purple.

Christina explained that my aura represented an extreme sense of creativity and also handed me a cheat sheet with the color definitions to keep.

The cool thing about auras is that yours can change dramatically over the course of a lifetime — and for that matter, even a few months! There’s really no way of knowing what’s going to show up until you see it and that’s part of the fun.

My take on aura photography is that no matter what you think about auras, the outcome is always beautiful and personal. This would be a great experience to share with your best friend or someone else you love.

“The aura given out by a person or object is as much a part of them as their flesh.” —Lucien Freud

Have you mastered the art of caring for household plants? I haven’t! I’m totally guilty of having a black thumb — even ornamental grasses seem to die under my care. The ongoing issue is that I often travel for weeks at a time and naturally, when I get home, my plants are long gone. I’ve since turned to collecting succulents because most varieties need very little upkeep.

To celebrate these new additions to my office, I picked up this great set of head planters. The boy sits one the far right of my desk while the girl sits on the far left. I have a bit of an obsession with white ceramic body parts so these are fitting right in!

The funny thing is, I thought I’d finally solved my dying plant issue…but then Chubs came along! He hangs out with me in my office all day and guess what? Every time I turn around, he’s chomping down on my plants. And honestly, squirrels don’t take “no” very well. 😉

Your turn: Are there any new additions to your house or workspace that you’re excited about?

I just celebrated my five year anniversary as a homeowner and what I’ve learned so far is that shortcuts are hard to come by — decorating a home is not quick or easy.

I’m all for any budget-friendly pieces I can find to dress up rooms. Paint, furniture and curtains go a long way but then it’s time to zoom in on the details and add those finishing touches. I’ve been really loving the H&M Home selection lately. It’s nice to try out home decor trends without breaking the bank — I’m especially a fan of the marbled pieces.

Nice to meet you!

I'm Shauna, a graphic designer and entrepreneur. I spend my days as the Creative Director of Branch, a boutique design studio. This is my personal blog, which has been going strong since 2007. I'm obsessed with shoes, squirrels and traveling. Read more…

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If have a design question or you're itching for advice in your college education or creative career, please drop me a line at: advice@nubbytwiglet.com.

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